Agios Dometios
Encyclopedia
Ayios Dhometios is a suburb located west of the Cypriot
capital Nicosia
. It has a population of around 12,100 (2001 census) making it one of Cyprus' biggest municipalities.
Since 2003 and the opening of the border, Ayios Dhometios is the site of the islands most important checkpoint in Cyprus, through which thousands of Greek Cypriots
and Turkish Cypriots
pass over the line every day.
, located 4 kilometres west of Nicosia. Mention of Ayios Dhometios comes from as early as the Franks
era. The town is named after St. Dometios who originated from Persia in the 4th century AD and who became Christian
later in his life. He lived in a cave in Mesopotamia
and converted many people into Christianity. Roman Emperor
Ioulianos accused Dhometios of tricking people, so Dhometios answered the Emperor that all of these harmless people visit him freely and he cannot just send them away. Ioulianos felt offended by his answer and ordered his death. Dhometios was stoned to death at 362 AD. The church of Ayios Dhometios was built in the 17th century and is dedicated to the Saint
. It's built on a small hill and is one of the town's main attractions.
is elected directly by the people in mayor elections that take place every five years. The elections of December 17 of 2006 saw mayor Dr. Andreas Hadjiloizou get re-elected into office. He was elected into office in 1996 and re-elected in 2001.
between the Republic of Cyprus and the 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' in April 2003 set up debate about opening some additional checkpoints
both for cars and on foot along the Green Line. One of the areas selected was the end of Demokratias avenue in Ayios Dhometios. Finally, an agreement was reached and in late April 2004 both sides started separate works building a road and placing control buildings. On May 23, 2004 the checkpoint was given to the public, and on the first day thousands of Greek and Turkish Cypriots, on both sides passed through the check point. Since then, Ayios Dhometios has become the main passing point for vehicles, with thousands of Greek and Turkish Cypriots passing through every day.
churches. The Ayios (Saint) Dhometios church is the oldest of the three and is built on a hill overlooking the old part of town. A truly spectacular sight, the church of Saint Dhometios is a must view.
The Saint George church is located on Gregoris Afxentiou Avenue and is Ayios Dhometios' main church. It's dedicated to Saint George who according to the legend slaughtered a dragon with a spear.
The third church of the town is Saint Paul's church and is the newest of the three. It was built in the '90s to replace the ageing church situated next to it which is dedicated to the same saint.
is also located in Ayios Dhometios on the Kolokassides roundabout.
industrial area. Lanitis juices and milk products are also produced in the factories compound.
of the island. Prior to the invasion, a fourth elementary school existed and shared building facilities with the junior high school. A new building for the junior high was being built and was ready in June 1974, but the Turkish troops took control of the new building a month later.
; Christos Stylianides, all time legend of Cyprus basketball
and Yiannos Ioannou
, former captain of the National Football Team
all come from Ayios Dhometios. Dometia and Maria Ioannou, the country's two best female Badminton athletes also live in Ayios Dhometios.
was created in 1937 and is one of Nicosia's leading Basketball
clubs. They have won two Cyprus championships (1969, 1990) and one Cyprus cup (1987) while the team also used to maintain a football team and a volleyball
team. ENAD decided to focus on basketball so they suspended all other activities. During the 2005-06 basketball season, ENAD finished second in the regular season, in their best run in the last ten years, but were eliminated by champions AEL in the semi-finals. Marios Argyrou took over before the 2008-09 season as head coach of the team and returned prior to the 2010-11 season, after winning the title as assistant coach at APOEL. The teams' club house is located on Gregoris Afxentiou Avenue.
and table tennis
club, Mavrommatis has a good appearance in those above sports. One of Cyprus' best teams in table tennis, Mavrommatis also gained promotion to the Cyprus Handball top division after a great presence in the second division of the 2004-05 season. During the 2005-06 season Mavrommatis played great handball and managed to stay in the top division, although many tipped them for relegation.
team that plays in Cyprus' third division but is tipped for promotion in the 2006-07 season. EAS' cycling team is also one of the countries elite.
The basketball arena or Municipal stadium is located in the western most part of the town, near the 3rd elementary school. It seats 1500 fans but the record is 4000 fans during the 1990 basketball finals were ENAD won the championship. It recently went through a facelift with the addition of a modern wooden parquet floor. Its home court for ENAD basketball, Mavrommatis handball and EAS Indoor football teams.
The Cyprus Sports Authority has decided to build a new indoor arena in Ayios Dhometios, at the site the Municipal stadium in located. The demolition of the Municipal stadium was scheduled in mid-2009 but has been postponed.
chose Cyprus as one of the torch
destinations during its world wide tour. As a matter of fact, Cyprus was the last stop before the torch returned to Greece
and the only country that the torch remained in for more than one day. On July 8, 2004 the torch came to Ayios Dhometios and a total of 5 runners, carried it through the town.
Ayios Dhometios is dubbed by many as Cyprus betting capital. The presence of the islands Horse Race Track in the municipality brings hefty revenue to the town but also attracts thousands of horse enthusiasts and gamblers during the races. Due to the presence of the Race Track, tens of betting parlours exist around the town.
of Athens.
Korydallos
, Greece
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
capital Nicosia
Nicosia
Nicosia from , known locally as Lefkosia , is the capital and largest city in Cyprus, as well as its main business center. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, with the southern and the northern portions divided by a Green Line...
. It has a population of around 12,100 (2001 census) making it one of Cyprus' biggest municipalities.
Since 2003 and the opening of the border, Ayios Dhometios is the site of the islands most important checkpoint in Cyprus, through which thousands of Greek Cypriots
Greek Cypriots
Greek Cypriots are the ethnic Greek population of Cyprus, forming the island's largest ethnolinguistic community at 77% of the population. Greek Cypriots are mostly members of the Church of Cyprus, an autocephalous Greek Orthodox Church within the wider communion of Orthodox Christianity...
and Turkish Cypriots
Turkish Cypriots
Turkish Cypriots are the ethnic Turks and members of the Turkish-speaking ethnolinguistic community of the Eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus. The term is used to refer explicitly to the indigenous Turkish Cypriots, whose Ottoman Turkish forbears colonised the island in 1571...
pass over the line every day.
History
Ayios Dhometios, has existed since ancient times as a small villageVillage
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
, located 4 kilometres west of Nicosia. Mention of Ayios Dhometios comes from as early as the Franks
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
era. The town is named after St. Dometios who originated from Persia in the 4th century AD and who became Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
later in his life. He lived in a cave in Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a toponym for the area of the Tigris–Euphrates river system, largely corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran.Widely considered to be the cradle of civilization, Bronze Age Mesopotamia included Sumer and the...
and converted many people into Christianity. Roman Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Ioulianos accused Dhometios of tricking people, so Dhometios answered the Emperor that all of these harmless people visit him freely and he cannot just send them away. Ioulianos felt offended by his answer and ordered his death. Dhometios was stoned to death at 362 AD. The church of Ayios Dhometios was built in the 17th century and is dedicated to the Saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
. It's built on a small hill and is one of the town's main attractions.
Ayios Pavlos
The parish of Ayios Pavlos is located around the church of Saint Paul. The Ayios Dhometios junior high school is also located in Ayios Pavlos.Administration
Ayios Dhometios has been a municipality since 1986 and the mayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
is elected directly by the people in mayor elections that take place every five years. The elections of December 17 of 2006 saw mayor Dr. Andreas Hadjiloizou get re-elected into office. He was elected into office in 1996 and re-elected in 2001.
Ayios Dhometios checkpoint
The opening of the buffer zoneBuffer zone
A buffer zone is generally a zonal area that lies between two or more other areas , but depending on the type of buffer zone, the reason for it may be to segregate regions or to conjoin them....
between the Republic of Cyprus and the 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' in April 2003 set up debate about opening some additional checkpoints
Civilian checkpoint
Civilian checkpoints or Security checkpoints are distinguishable from border or frontier checkpoints in that they are erected and enforced within contiguous areas under military or paramilitary control...
both for cars and on foot along the Green Line. One of the areas selected was the end of Demokratias avenue in Ayios Dhometios. Finally, an agreement was reached and in late April 2004 both sides started separate works building a road and placing control buildings. On May 23, 2004 the checkpoint was given to the public, and on the first day thousands of Greek and Turkish Cypriots, on both sides passed through the check point. Since then, Ayios Dhometios has become the main passing point for vehicles, with thousands of Greek and Turkish Cypriots passing through every day.
Churches
Ayios Dhometios is currently home of three Christian-OrthodoxEastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
churches. The Ayios (Saint) Dhometios church is the oldest of the three and is built on a hill overlooking the old part of town. A truly spectacular sight, the church of Saint Dhometios is a must view.
The Saint George church is located on Gregoris Afxentiou Avenue and is Ayios Dhometios' main church. It's dedicated to Saint George who according to the legend slaughtered a dragon with a spear.
The third church of the town is Saint Paul's church and is the newest of the three. It was built in the '90s to replace the ageing church situated next to it which is dedicated to the same saint.
The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics
The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and GeneticsThe Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics
The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics is a non-profit making institution that was established in 1990. Its parent organisation is The Cyprus Foundation for Muscular Dystrophy Research....
is also located in Ayios Dhometios on the Kolokassides roundabout.
Coca Cola factory
The islands Coca Cola factory is located in Ayios Dhometios, on the edge of the EngomiEngomi
This article is about the suburb of Nicosia. For the ancient settlement near Famagusta, see: EnkomiEngomi is a suburb of the Cypriot capital Nicosia. It has a population of around 13,600 . It is a mainly residential neighbourhood with many large villas...
industrial area. Lanitis juices and milk products are also produced in the factories compound.
Parks
Ayios Dhometios has four parks. The Missing in Action park, which is dedicated to the Ayios Dhometios residents that went missing during the Turkish Invasion and are still MIA and is located opposite the Coca Cola factory, the Ayios Dhometios park which is located near the checkpoint into the occupied area, the Ayios Pavlos park which is near the Junior High and the newest built park which is dedicated to the National Guard, and is also near the Junior High.Education
Ayios Dhometios has three elementary schools and one junior high school. The 1st elementary, located opposite the Saint Dhometios church, is the oldest and was built during the British ruleBritish Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
of the island. Prior to the invasion, a fourth elementary school existed and shared building facilities with the junior high school. A new building for the junior high was being built and was ready in June 1974, but the Turkish troops took control of the new building a month later.
Athletes
Ayios Dhometios has a long tradition in sporting events. Some of the countries best athletes originate from the towns many sporting clubs. George Anastasiades, current captain of the National Basketball TeamCyprus national basketball team
The Cypriot national basketball team is the national team of Cyprus. It is run by the Cyprus Basketball Federation. It is affiliated to FIBA, in the FIBA Europe zone.- History :The team participates at international and European tournaments...
; Christos Stylianides, all time legend of Cyprus basketball
Cyprus Basketball Division 1
The Cypriot First Division A of the Men’s Basketball League is currently the top competition on the Cyprus Basketball calendar. It is run and governed by the Cyprus Basketball Federation...
and Yiannos Ioannou
Yiannos Ioannou
Yiannos Ioannou is a former Cypriot football player. He was one of the most successful strikers in Cyprus ever and because of that he was given the nickname "Mr Goal". Playing almost 20 years for APOEL FC, he won the Cypriot Championship 4 times, the Cypriot Cup 6 times and the Cyprus FA Shield...
, former captain of the National Football Team
Cyprus national football team
The Cyprus national football team represents Cyprus in association football and is controlled by the Cyprus Football Association, the governing body for football in Cyprus. Cyprus' home ground is the GSP Stadium in Nicosia and the current coach is Nikos Nioplias...
all come from Ayios Dhometios. Dometia and Maria Ioannou, the country's two best female Badminton athletes also live in Ayios Dhometios.
ENAD Ayios Dhometios
ENADENAD
ENAD , is a first division basketball team based in the Agios Dometios district of Nicosia, Cyprus. It was founded in 1937 via the merger of three local sports clubs. Over the years, it has run basketball, football, table tennis and volleyball divisions...
was created in 1937 and is one of Nicosia's leading Basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
clubs. They have won two Cyprus championships (1969, 1990) and one Cyprus cup (1987) while the team also used to maintain a football team and a volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
team. ENAD decided to focus on basketball so they suspended all other activities. During the 2005-06 basketball season, ENAD finished second in the regular season, in their best run in the last ten years, but were eliminated by champions AEL in the semi-finals. Marios Argyrou took over before the 2008-09 season as head coach of the team and returned prior to the 2010-11 season, after winning the title as assistant coach at APOEL. The teams' club house is located on Gregoris Afxentiou Avenue.
Mavrommatis Ayios Pavlos
A handballTeam handball
Handball is a team sport in which two teams of seven players each pass a ball to throw it into the goal of the other team...
and table tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
club, Mavrommatis has a good appearance in those above sports. One of Cyprus' best teams in table tennis, Mavrommatis also gained promotion to the Cyprus Handball top division after a great presence in the second division of the 2004-05 season. During the 2005-06 season Mavrommatis played great handball and managed to stay in the top division, although many tipped them for relegation.
EAS Ayios Dhometios
Cyprus' major sport is football and Ayios Dhometios has a team in that sport also. EAS plays in the amateur ranks of the Nicosia league and almost won promotion to the Cyprus fourth division a few seasons back but failed in the play-offs. EAS also maintains an indoor footballIndoor soccer
Indoor soccer or arena soccer, or six-a-side football in the United Kingdom, is a game derived from association football adapted for play in an indoor arena such as a turf-covered hockey arena or skating rink. The most important difference in play is that the indoor field is surrounded by a wall...
team that plays in Cyprus' third division but is tipped for promotion in the 2006-07 season. EAS' cycling team is also one of the countries elite.
Stadiums
Ayios Dhometios has two main stadiums in which the municipality's teams compete. The football stadium is located next to the 1st elementary and seats 1000 fans. It's a gravel pitch and is not in very good condition.The basketball arena or Municipal stadium is located in the western most part of the town, near the 3rd elementary school. It seats 1500 fans but the record is 4000 fans during the 1990 basketball finals were ENAD won the championship. It recently went through a facelift with the addition of a modern wooden parquet floor. Its home court for ENAD basketball, Mavrommatis handball and EAS Indoor football teams.
The Cyprus Sports Authority has decided to build a new indoor arena in Ayios Dhometios, at the site the Municipal stadium in located. The demolition of the Municipal stadium was scheduled in mid-2009 but has been postponed.
Olympic torch relay
The 2004 Athens Olympics2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
chose Cyprus as one of the torch
2004 Olympic Torch Relay
The 2004 Summer Olympics Torch Relay took the Olympic flame across every habitable continent, returning to Athens, Greece. Every city which had hosted the Summer Olympics was revisited by the torch, as well as several other cities chosen for their international importance.The relay was the first...
destinations during its world wide tour. As a matter of fact, Cyprus was the last stop before the torch returned to Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and the only country that the torch remained in for more than one day. On July 8, 2004 the torch came to Ayios Dhometios and a total of 5 runners, carried it through the town.
Betting in Ayios Dhometios
Horseracing was revived in Cyprus, Ayios Dhometios from the end of the 19th century. However, the tradition of the sport in this country, as evidenced by archaeological findings existing in the Cyprus Museum, is lost in the depth of the Hellenistic period, where we come across horseracing descriptions by Homer and other ancient authors. Horseracing in those days was actually a "sport of kings" who participated in them. When Kings of ancient Salamis of Cyprus died, their horses were buried with them. Horse racing is for the first time entered in the Olympic Games in the 7th century b.c.Ayios Dhometios is dubbed by many as Cyprus betting capital. The presence of the islands Horse Race Track in the municipality brings hefty revenue to the town but also attracts thousands of horse enthusiasts and gamblers during the races. Due to the presence of the Race Track, tens of betting parlours exist around the town.
Twinned cities
Ayios Dhometios is a twinned city to Ayios Nikolaos of Crete and KorydallosKorydallos
Korydallos is a municipality in the Piraeus regional unit, Greece. It is a western suburb of Piraeus. It is the home of the Korydallos prisons. It sits on a mountain in the west named Aegaleo. It is located W of Athens, N of Piraeus and S of GR-8/E55 and Athinon Avenue.Farming used to dominate...
of Athens.
Twinnings
Ayios Nikolaos, GreeceGreece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
Korydallos
Korydallos
Korydallos is a municipality in the Piraeus regional unit, Greece. It is a western suburb of Piraeus. It is the home of the Korydallos prisons. It sits on a mountain in the west named Aegaleo. It is located W of Athens, N of Piraeus and S of GR-8/E55 and Athinon Avenue.Farming used to dominate...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....